Mark Lacek, a global leader in the development of airlines travel perks packages
and business customer loyalty programs, will give a presentation on Sept. 25
at UW-River Falls.

Lacek, who is a 1979 graduate of UW-River Falls, is the chief executive officer,
president and chairman of Milepoint Worldwide, an Internet loyalty application
and technology company.

He has been selected as this year's executive-in-residence and will speak as
part of the UW-River Falls College of Business and Economics Celebration Week.

His keynote presentation, titled "Never Give Up, and Other Lessons Learned
from a Serial Entrepreneur," is at 2:30 p.m. in the Blue Room of Rodli Commons.
It is free and open to the public.

Lacek began his career in strategic planning at Republic Airlines. After a
merger with Northwest Airlines, he became director of marketing for Northwest
and was chosen by "Advertising Age" magazine as "One of America's Best and Brightest
in Advertising and Marketing." He was responsible for WorldPerks, Northwest's
frequent flyer program and strategic and business partnerships.

In 1993, Lacek co-founded the Lacek Group Worldwide, a global loyalty marketing
company. It became a full service marketing agency and managed loyalty programs
for Delta AirLines, National Car Rental, Starwood Hotels, Chase Manhattan, MCI
and Singapore Airlines. The Lacek Group was sold to EDS in 1997 and is now part
of WPP Ogilivy One, one of the largest advertising and communications companies
in the world.

In 1997, Lacek formed Lacek Development Company and developed a real estate
complex in Siren, comprised of a hotel, restaurant, real estate office, movie
theater, retail shops and a hockey arena.

In 1999, Lacek and founding partners of The Lacek Group started MilePoint.

Lacek's hobbies include mountain climbing, biking and running marathons. He
has climbed Mt. Kiliminjaro and Mt. Rainier and biked from Los Angeles to Washington,
D.C.

He says his biggest adventure is being the father to two little girls.

Lacek and his wife have recently set up The Lacek Foundation and are in the
process of building a camp for underprivileged children and a retreat for parents
who have suffered the loss of a child.